Courses

Courses

PHIL 112. Contemporary Moral Disputes.

The course focuses on particular moral issues and the ethical arguments provoked by them. Topics discussed in the course may include the death penalty, abortion, and war tactics that result in civilian casualties including the ethics of drones, torture, and terrorism. Not open to students who have received credit for FYS 309. Enrollment limited to 29 per section. D. Cummiskey, P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 195. Introduction to Logic.

An investigation of the nature of valid reasoning, coupled with training in the skills of critical thinking. Close attention is paid to the analysis of ordinary arguments. Enrollment limited to 39 per section. Normally offered every year. M. Okrent, L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 210. Philosophy of Cognitive Science.

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of the mind, including psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, computer science, and philosophy, among other disciplines. This course presents the conceptual foundations of cognitive science and approaches to integrating findings and perspectives from across disciplines into a coherent understanding of the mind. Students address findings from each of the disciplines of cognitive science, along with issues in the philosophy of science and philosophical issues relating to the nature of mind, self, and agency. Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy, psychology, or neuroscience. Enrollment limited to 29. M. Dacey.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 211. Philosophy of Science.

Science has become our model for what counts as knowledge; this course examines that model and discusses how far its claims are justified in the light of the nature and history of science. Topics for consideration are drawn from the nature of scientific explanation, scientific rationality, progress in science, the nature of scientific theories, and the relations of science to society and to other views of the world. Readings include traditional and contemporary work in the philosophy of science. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. M. Daley.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 213. Biomedical Ethics.

The rapid changes in the biological sciences and medical technology have thoroughly transformed the practice of medicine. The added complexity and power of medicine has in turn revolutionized the responsibilities and duties that accompany the medical professions. This course explores the values and norms governing medical practice; the rights and responsibilities of health care providers and patients; the justification for euthanasia; and the problems of access, allocation, and rationing of health care services. Not open to students who have received credit for FYS 362 or PHIL s26. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. D. Cummiskey.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

ES/PL 214. Environmental Ethics.

A study of selected issues in environmental ethics, including questions about population growth, resource consumption, pollution, the responsibilities of corporations, environmental justice, animal rights, biodiversity, and moral concern for the natural world. The course explores debates currently taking place among environmental thinkers regarding our moral obligations to other persons, to future generations, to other animals, and to ecosystems and the Earth itself. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 233. On Being Human.

In this course students explore central questions about human nature and what it means to be human, reading from classic philosophical texts, recent philosophical publications, research in psychology, and popular science writing. Students consider whether humans have a nature, and if so, what kind of thing it is (e.g., evolved, genetic, cultural). What, if anything, separates us from nonhuman animals? Then the students discuss challenges to common intuitive thoughts about ourselves as agents. Are we in less personal, conscious control than we tend to think? Finally, they discuss attempts to make sense of ourselves as human beings and agents in light of the issues raised in the course. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. M. Dacey.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 234. Philosophy of Language.

This course is an advanced introduction to contemporary issues in the philosophy of language. Students investigate the natures of reference, meaning, and truth while reading the work of
Frege, Wittgenstein, Russell, Kripke, Lewis, Putnam, and others. They address questions such as: What is it for a sign or a bit of language to be meaningful? What is it for words to represent or identify something? What is it for a statement to be truthful? What is a language, and what is it to know a language? How can you believe that Superman flies while believing that Clark Kent doesn't? Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy. Recommended background: PHIL 195. Enrollment limited to 29. M. Okrent.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 235. Philosophy of Mind.

An inquiry into the nature of human mentality that pays special attention to the issues raised by experience and the relation between thought and language. Is mind distinct from body? If not, are mental states identical with brain states, or does the mind relate to the brain as programs relate to computer hardware? What is the connection between linguistic meaning and thought? Readings are drawn from historical and contemporary sources. Recommended background: one course in philosophy. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. M. Dacey.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 236. Theory of Knowledge.

Is knowledge possible, and if so, how? The course investigates how we can know the ordinary things we take ourselves to know. Students are introduced to major philosophical theories concerning when our thoughts about ourselves and the world are rationally justified. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PL/RE 243. Religion and Modern Critics.

A study of the dialogue between Western religious traditions and modern culture since the Enlightenment. Attention is given both to critical challenges (e.g., from philosophy, science, social theory, and psychology) and to religious responses that together have set the context for contemporary debates about the meaning and value of religion. Readings are drawn from thinkers such Hume, Kant, Schleiermacher, Kierkegaard, Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche, and Freud. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 39. Staff.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 245. Metaphysics.

This course introduces students to some of the central issues in metaphysics. Possible questions considered include: Which kinds of things exist? What is one saying when one says that something "exists"? What does it mean to say that something causes something else? What is one saying when one says that something might possibly be other than it is? What does it mean to say that something is the same identical thing at one time that it is at another? Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 255. Human Nature, Politics, and Morals.

This course looks at influential theories of human nature and different conceptions of the possibility of human perfection. What is the essence of human nature? Is the capacity to improve upon itself part of its essence? What is the best possible human life and what are the appropriate social and political institutions for realizing it? Why is this so difficult to achieve? Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 256. Moral Philosophy.

Is there a difference between right and wrong? Is it merely a matter of custom, convention, preference, or opinion, or is there some other basis for this distinction, something that makes it "objective" rather than "subjective"? How can we tell, in particular cases and in general, what is right and what is wrong? Is there some moral principle or method for deciding particular moral problems? Philosophers discussed include Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Mill, and the Dalai Lama. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. D. Cummiskey, S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 257. Moral Luck.

This course explores the relationship between luck and morality. It examines the moral and metaphysical problem of free will, determinism, and responsibility, and the related problem of moral luck. It looks at the role friendship plays in the moral life and the ways "relational goods" help to protect us from some of the exigencies of bad luck. It considers Kant's attempt to make morality "safe" from luck and the way Aristotle embraces luck in his moral outlook. It also looks at the nature of evil and the extent to which evil is under our control. Not open to students who have received credit for FYS 288 or PHIL s22. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29 per section. S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 258. Philosophy of Law.

What is law? What is the relationship of law to morality? What is the nature of judicial reasoning? Particular legal issues include the nature and status of liberty rights (the right to privacy including contraception, abortion, and homosexuality), the legitimacy of restrictions on speech and expression (flag burning and racist hate speech), and the justification of the death penalty. Readings include traditional and contemporary legal theory, case studies, and court decisions. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. D. Cummiskey.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PL/RE 260. Philosophy of Religion.

A consideration of major issues that arise in philosophical reflection upon religion. Particular issues are selected from among such topics as the nature of faith, the possibility of justifying religious beliefs, the nature and validity of religious experience, the relation of religion and science, and the problem of evil. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Staff.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

GS/PL 262. Philosophy and Feminism.

One central project of feminist philosophy is the use of philosophical methods to think carefully about important and distinctive features of the lives of women, and also about the concepts employed in the feminist political movement and similar social movements, such as those centered around race, class, disability, and sexuality. Topics include: what it is to be a woman; what it is to face discrimination or oppression; science and society, particularly genders in science; sex and sexuality; reproduction; the family; gender in popular culture; and the body and appearance, including the fashion and beauty industries. Not open to students who have received credit for PHIL 262 or PL/WS 262. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. S. Stark, L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 268. Capitalism and Its Critics.

Some consider a capitalist economy an environment ideally conducive to human flourishing, while others consider it a significant threat. Debates over the merits of capitalism have raged among philosophers for generations. This course considers some of capitalism's most able defenders, as well as some of its most incisive critics. The course also examines some hybrid views, which attempt to harness capitalism's capacity for good, while mitigating its ability to harm. Enrollment limited to 29. P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

CM/PL 271. Ancient Greek Philosophy.

A study of the basic philosophical ideas underlying Western thought as these are expressed in the writings of the Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Greek thought is discussed in its historical and social context, with indications of how important Greek ideas were developed in later centuries. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. M. Okrent, S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 272. Philosophy from Descartes to Kant.

The problems of knowledge, reality, and morality are discussed as they developed from the time of the scientific revolution and the birth of modern philosophy until their culmination in Kant. The course considers thinkers from among the classic rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz) and empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) as well as Kant. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. M. Okrent, P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 273. Philosophy in the Nineteenth Century.

The course follows the development of modern thought from Kant, through the rise and breakup of Hegelianism, to the culmination of nineteenth-century thought in Nietzsche. The impact of science, the relation of the individual and society, and the role of reflection in experience are examined in readings drawn from among Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, Marx, Mill, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard. Recommended background: two courses in philosophy or PHIL 272. Open to first-year students. M. Okrent.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 274. Phenomenology.

A survey of several of the dominant themes in twentieth-century phenomenology. The course is designed to familiarize students with this area through the study of some of the works of Husserl and Heidegger, among others. Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy. Enrollment limited to 29. M. Okrent.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 295. Logic: Possibility, Probability, and Proofs.

Philosophers use various formal tools for philosophical inquiry. In this course students consider modal logic, the logic of possibility and necessity, formal epistemology, and also some surprising metalogical results. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 195. Not open to students who have received credit for PHIL 395A. Enrollment limited to 29. L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 310. Buddhist Philosophy.

This course explores Buddhist philosophy with a special emphasis on moral and political philosophy. Philosophical topics include the Four Noble Truths, the doctrine of impermanence and codependent arising, the doctrine of no-self, and the concept of emptiness. The relationships among Buddhist philosophy, insight meditation, and moral virtue, especially the practical social, political, and ethical implications, are a primary focus of the course. Prerequisite(s): two courses in philosophy. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] D. Cummiskey.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

ES/PL 314. The Environment and What We Owe to Each Other.

As we use and deplete natural resources and alter the global environment, the consequences do not respect national borders, the boundaries among generations, or species distinctions. This course takes up questions about the nature and scope of justice as it pertains to the environment. Specifically, it considers what we owe to our fellow citizens, to the global community, to future generations, and to nonhuman animals, as we change the environment. Prerequisite(s): ES/PL 214; or two courses in philosophy; or one course in philosophy and one course in environmental studies. New course beginning Winter 2019. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 321D. The Rise of Philosophical Analysis.

This course explores the history of twentieth-century philosophy by examining the methods and characteristic doctrines of two successive philosophical movements. Students first focus on the early twentieth-century attempt, pioneered by Russell and the early Wittgenstein, to apply the newly developed techniques of formal logic to the analysis of the cognitive significance of our ordinary ways of talking. The course then considers the way in which a later generation of "ordinary language" philosophers, including Ryle, Austin, and the later Wittgenstein, reacted against this attempt. Readings are taken from the works of Russell, G. E. Moore, Wittgenstein, Carnap, Quine, Ayer, Ryle, and Austin. Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy. Recommended background: PHIL 195 or two courses in philosophy. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] M. Okrent, P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 321J. Topics in the Contemporary Philosophy of Mind and Language: Self-Knowledge.

We seem to know our own minds — our beliefs, desires, intentions, feelings, and sensations — in a distinctive and particularly secure way. But although introspective self-knowledge is so familiar, it is difficult to account for. This course examines a range of philosophical problems associated with self-knowledge: What (if any) are the differences between self-knowledge and other knowledge, such as knowledge of other people's minds? Can plausible accounts of the process of introspection be reconciled with plausible accounts of the objects of self-knowledge, i.e., mental states and their contents? Do we even have knowledge of our own minds? Prerequisite(s): one 200- or 300-level course in philosophy. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 321K. Philosophy of Animal Minds.

Nonhuman animals seem like us in many ways, and unlike us in many others. Sometimes they are studied as models of human minds. Other times, they are studied to help us understand what, if anything, makes human minds unique. Beyond these questions, the cognitive abilities of animals like great apes, corvids, and octopuses are fascinating in their own right, and the task of understanding other minds presents a deep and complex challenge to science. Students discuss these issues from an interdisciplinary perspective including philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. Prerequisite(s): two courses in philosophy, or one course in philosophy and one course in neuroscience or psychology. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] M. Dacey.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

GS/PL 323D. Feminist Epistemology.

In this course, students read feminist accounts and critiques of how we know what we know as well as how and what we value, and why. Students consider questions such as: Is rationality gendered? Are conceptions of philosophy "masculine"? What role do "subjects" play in knowledge production? What epistemic role does ignorance play in knowing and unknowing? What role does epistemic responsibility play in being justified? What is epistemic injustice and how can such injustice be addressed? Recommended background: PHIL 236 and GS/PL 262. New course beginning Winter 2019. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 324. Seminar: Topics in Ethics.

PHIL 324C. Liberty, Equality, and Community.

Liberty and equality are the central values of contemporary political philosophy. These values, however, seem inevitably to conflict. Unlimited freedom leads to inequalities and remedies for inequalities restrict liberty. This seminar focuses on competing accounts of the proper balance between liberty and equality. In particular, students focus on John Rawls' theory of justice and competing theories of justice, including utilitarian liberalism, Nozick's libertarian theory, communitarian theories, feminist theories, and multicultural approaches. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 255, 256, or 257. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] D. Cummiskey.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 324E. Virtue Ethics.

Virtue ethics emerged as an important kind of moral theory during the last half of the twentieth century. There are many virtue theories, but they share a focus on the morality of character rather than the morality of individual actions. Many seek an answer to the question, "How shall I live?" rather than, "What should I do?" This course explores both the historical roots of virtue theory found in Aristotle and, according to some scholars, Kant. It also examines several contemporary theories of virtue as well as critics of this approach to moral theory. Prerequisite(s): FYS 248 or PHIL 256. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 324F. I and Thou: Recognition and Second-Personal Morality.

Morality requires that we treat persons not simply as objects to be planned around or manipulated, but as beings with a special status that we ought to recognize or acknowledge. It is this status to which we gesture when we talk about owing a duty to someone. Philosophers have long sought to understand the relationship that holds between persons who recognize one another's status as morally significant beings. Participants in this seminar seek to understand this as well. Readings include both historical philosophical texts and contemporary works. Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy. New course beginning Fall 2019. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] Normally offered every other year. P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 325C. Moral Realism.

This course examines contemporary theories on the meaning of moral language, the possibility of moral knowledge, the existence of moral facts, the nature of moral arguments, and the relationship between morality and rationality. Philosophers discussed include Moore, Ayer, Stevenson, Hare, Foot, and Mackie. Some background in moral or political theory is recommended. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 332. Moral Psychology.

Facts about how people actually do choose and judge actions seem to matter for how we understand morality. But any attempts to trace these connections face the famous gap between "is" and "ought," claims about how the world is and how it ought to be. The last two decades have seen an explosion in work at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience attempting to make these connections explicit. In this course, students attempt to bridge the is-ought gap to better understand our selves, our well-being, our duties, and our strengths and weaknesses. Prerequisite(s): two courses in philosophy, or one course in philosophy and one course in neuroscience or psychology. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] M. Dacey.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 350. Seminar on Major Thinkers.

The course examines in depth the writings of a major philosopher. Thinkers who may be discussed include Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hume, Marx, Wittgenstein, and Quine. Staff.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL 360. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL s20. Film as Philosophy.

Some philosophers have argued that movies may be approached as works of philosophy, asking philosophical questions that they themselves go on to answer. In this course, students watch films from a number of genres (westerns, science fiction, thrillers, comedies of remarriage, etc.) and then attempt to discern the films' philosophical argument. The course also addresses the question of whether this approach to film is a fruitful one. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. P. Schofield.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL s22. Moral Luck.

This course explores the relationship between luck and morality. It examines the moral and metaphysical problem of free will, determinism, and responsibility, and the related problem of moral luck. It looks at the role friendship plays in the moral life and the ways "relational goods" help to protect us from some of the exigencies of bad luck. It considers Kant's attempt to make morality "safe" from luck and the way Aristotle embraces luck in his moral outlook. It also looks at the nature of evil and the extent to which evil is under our control. Not open to students who have received credit for FYS 288 or PHIL 257. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL s29. Logic: Possibility, Proofs, and Paradox.

Building on PHIL 195: Introduction to Logic, students consider the relationship between logic and reasoning, learn about modal logic (the logic of possibility and necessity), Turing machines, and alternative logics, prove some surprising metalogical results, and puzzle through some logical paradoxes. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 195. New course beginning Short Term 2019. Not open to students who have received credit for PHIL 295 or 395A. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. L. Ashwell.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

The line between practicing philosophy and teaching it has always been a blurry one, enough so that being a philosopher is often thought to involve being a teacher. In this course, students assume the role of philosophy instructor. The course covers works by a number of contemporary authors writing on course design and innovative teaching methodology, and students design a week-long introductory philosophy mini-course targeted at high school students. Prerequisite(s): three philosophy courses.
Enrollment limited to 9. Instructor permission is required. (Community-Engaged Learning.) P. Schofield, S. Stark.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

PHIL s50. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations